The Inside Story on Athletic Scholarships

October 22nd, 2017|

While traveling  in Connecticut, I had the good fortune of staying in a hotel in Hartford where the  University of Connecticut (UConn) hockey team was also staying. These young men were getting ready to play Tulsa - a very important game for the UConn team.  You may be wondering why this has anything to do with athletic scholarships which [...]

Creating Your College List

October 18th, 2017|

When you’re deciding on a college, it’s a good idea to start researching them early in the game. We’ve seen many of our students change their minds late in the process, after they’ve gotten to know a little more about the schools they’re looking at, or have narrowed down the subjects that are of most interest to [...]

September To Do List for Independent School Admissions

September 18th, 2017|

September is when families are embarking upon the admissions process for the following school year.  This is a time to gather information about the schools to which you're applying and plan for their specific requirements for admission.  One of the most important pieces of advices that we give parents is to make sure you are not holding up [...]

Why Do Kids Struggle with Standardized Tests? Part II

March 9th, 2017|

If you want to see what these tests look like to your kids, the Youtube video linked below will give you a fairly good idea. In it, three college grads – one from Yale, one from Stanford, and one from UC Berkeley – try out a couple of questions from standardized test given in South [...]

Why Do Kids Struggle With Standardized Test Questions?

February 23rd, 2017|

Whether you understand the meaning of a test question or not may depend on whether you’re the one who wrote the test, or are the one who’s taking it. As experienced teachers, we've seen this first hand.   We would write questions for tests that seemed perfectly fair. The material had been covered in class, [...]

What Are Schools Looking For in the Writing Section?

February 10th, 2017|

It’s not easy to put together a good writing sample on the test if you don’t know what your schools will think is good.   Do they want formal writing? Should there be astounding thoughts that unlock the secrets of the universe? Should it be in iambic pentameter?   Don’t worry. None of those things [...]

Comments Off on What Are Schools Looking For in the Writing Section?

How Parents Can Alleviate Stress During the Admissions Season

December 26th, 2016|

It is very difficult watching your child feel stress, especially when you are feeling the same way. This is what I commonly hear from the parents I counsel during the admission process. So, how do we help our children and ourselves during this oftentimes anxiety-filled time?  Here is my advice on how to demystify [...]

What Parents Should Know About Standardized Tests

November 17th, 2016|

One of the great myths out there is that students who know the material taught in class will be prepared for standardized tests. But  the reality is that except for a few naturally great test takers, knowing only the academic material is going in half-prepared.   One concept we try to instill in our students is that [...]

Tips for Having a Great Admissions Interview

November 12th, 2016|

During the admissions process, parents and student applicants will be asked to participate in an interview. This might be with someone from the admissions office, a teacher, or even a student if you're applying to secondary school.  It's natural for parents and students to feel somewhat anxious about this step in the admissions process.  Don't let that [...]

The Three Most Important Things to Remember on Test Day

November 5th, 2016|

The SSAT and ISEE test dates are here! In preparing for your exam, there is nothing better than continued, ongoing practice to make testing language second nature. But if you’re gearing up to test in the coming days and haven’t had a chance to formally prepare, there are three pointers that by keeping them in mind can [...]